The Australian Sandalwood Network is an active growers group dedicated towards developing the Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) plantation industry in southern Western Australia. Primarily our focus is to support private sandalwood growers and drive the plantation industry forward.
Formed in 2003, initially under the name of the Avon Sandalwood Network, the ASN is now an incorporated association. Over the past 15 years the ASN has grown and now has over 50 members, the majority being private growers from the agricultural regions of Western Australia and South Australia.
The ASN holds field days and workshops, distributes grower and industry updates via our newsletters and facilitates networking between growers, industry and researchers and represents growers views to state and federal government. Australian Sandalwood is the most planted native commercial tree crop in the WA wheatbelt, and over 20, 000 hectares of plantations will have been established over the last 20 years. Plantation growth is being driven by private landowners, broadacre farmers, and government programs.
Australian Sandalwood is a unique native tree crop, grown for its high value aromatic heartwood over a 20 – 25 year rotation, with potential to generate income from the oil rich nuts from age 5 as new products are developed. Well adapted to wheatbelt conditions, sandalwood plantations can aid in managing agricultural risk through diversification and contribute towards reducing salinity and erosion in wheatbelt farming systems.
“Sandalwood: The Golden Harvest” discusses how sandalwood can be used to address land degradation issues and the various markets for the sandalwood product, and farmers talk about how they have used sandalwood to add diversity to their farms in areas which are not productive for annual crops.
For more information on how you too can become a sandalwood grower, download our comprehensive Sandalwood Fact Sheets. These sheets are a valuable source of information about Preparation & Planning for your Sandalwood Plantation, Plantation Layout & Site Preparation for your Sandalwood Plantation, Sandalwood Establishment, Ongoing Management of Sandalwood Plantation & Natural Resource Managment benefits.